Scout (Scouting)

[4] However, because of the popularity of his person and the adventurous outdoor games he wrote about, boys spontaneously formed Scout patrols.

These are designed to instill character, citizenship, personal fitness, and leadership in boys through a structured program of outdoor activities.

[6][7] Common ways to implement the Scout method include spending time together in small groups with shared experiences, rituals, and activities, as well as emphasizing good citizenship and decision-making that are age-level appropriate.

Primary activities include camping, woodcraft, first aid, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports.

Jamborees are large events on a national or international level held every four years where thousands of Scouts camp together for one to two weeks.

Activities at these events include games, Scoutcraft competitions, patch trading, aquatics, woodcarving, archery, and rifle and shotgun shooting.

[citation needed] For many Scouts, the highlight of the year is spending at least a week in the summer as part of an outdoor activity.

Some summer camps operate specialty programs, such as sailing, backpacking, canoeing and whitewater, caving, and fishing.

[citation needed] A large part, compared to younger and older sections, of the activities are related to personal progression.

However, on a high adventure trip which only a small part of the troop attends, divisions between patrols may disappear entirely.

[10] The original uniform, which has created a familiar image in the public eye and had a very military appearance, consisted of a khaki button-up shirt, shorts, and a broad-brimmed campaign hat.

Uniforms have become much more functional and colorful since the beginning and are now frequently blue, orange, red, or green, and shorts are replaced by long trousers in areas where the culture calls for modesty, and in colder weather.